(Description provided by STG)
STG’s Justin Andrews and Robert Caldwell have collaborated to create Bolivar Cofradia Lost & Found, a limited edition collection created in Caldwell’s tradition of bringing “forgotten tobacco” from Central America’s best cigar factories to cigar lovers in the US.
In 2021, Robert Caldwell and Justin Andrews traveled to Honduras, where they were given full-fettered access to the vast tobacco library of the legendary HATSA factory in Danlí. They centered on a reserve of burlap-wrapped bales containing 5-8 year old Ecuadoran Sumatra and Connecticut Broadleaf. These tobaccos would ultimately form the building blocks of Bolivar Cofradia, two limited edition blends crafted at HATSA.
Given the rarity of the tobaccos used in the blends, Bolivar Cofradia Lost & Found will be released in a limited run of five packs.
Justin Andrews said, “Bolivar Cofradia made waves when we re-launched the brand in 2020. It’s fitting that we’re now partnering with Robert Caldwell, given that he’s made a lot of noise in the premium cigar category with his Lost & Found line. This collaboration gave us the opportunity to work with the hidden gems waiting to be discovered in our tobacco library, and we’ve definitely done them justice.”
Robert Caldwell noted, “Lost & Found started when a Central American factory gave me a rare blend to sell in the US, and today with the release of this capsule collection from Bolivar Cofradia, it feels like Lost & Found has come full circle. I would have never imagined standing among a sea of bales at HATSA, knowing that any tobacco we wanted to blend with was available to Justin and me. This collection represents the power of a strong collaboration.”
Handcrafted at HATSA, Bolivar Cofradia Lost & Found comes in two varieties, Natural and Oscuro.
Artwork on the five packs depicts a modern day and a historical figure riding a chopper, nodding to both the collaboration and the age of the tobaccos. As to which character represents Justin and which one represents Robert, there’s no right answer.
Called Oscuro, the maduro-wrapped version is made with a 5-8-year-aged Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, an Ecuadoran Sumatra binder and Dominican, Nicaraguan and Honduran filler. Oscuro is a bold and meaty smoke that delivers peppery notes and a lingering finish of earth and spice.
Robusto Oscuro (5” x 54) – SRP per cigar $6.99 REVIEWED TODAY
Toro Oscuro (6” x 54) – SPR per cigar $7.49
The cigar is dark and well made. It has a nice feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were a little scattered; dark chocolate, citrus peel, nougat, thick nutmeg, leather, and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Pretty dark start with some light sweetness.
At the first third (23 minutes) the flavors have settled down into unsweetened dark chocolate, citrus peel, citrus, a touch of brown sugar, light nutmeg, and quite a bit of black coffee. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is nutmeg, a little brown sugar, and pretty good lingering black pepper. The cigar is quite dark noted but it now has some sweetness from the citrus notes. I rated the first third 91.
As I moved through the second third (39 minutes) the citrus sweetness came out a little more. The other notes are still in play but I really noticed the increase in citrus. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is unchanged. I rated the second third 92.
The cigar lasted 56 minutes. The only thing of note in the final third was the overall sweetness dropped back to about what it was in the first third. All the flavor notes are still there. The citrus peel dropped quite a bit. The cigar continued to be medium bodied. The finish is a touch of citrus, dark chocolate, nutmeg, black coffee, and pretty good lingering black pepper. The enjoyment of the cigar is about like it was in the first third so I rated the final third 91. Not a bad cigar. Of the two, I prefer the natural version a little more. You can purchase these cigars HERE.
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